In the treatment of ankle injuries, such as sprains, it is known to wrap the ankle to stabilize it. For example, the ankle can be wrapped with adhesive tape or with an elastic bandage to immobilize the ankle to allow it to heal.
Other devices have been developed for treatment of ankle injuries which employ a sock-like element having elastic straps attached thereto for being wrapped around the ankle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,433 (Cramer) shows a device for attachment to an ankle wherein a flexible jacket is secured to the ankle by a shoelace. The jacket has two straps attached to its bottom, and these straps are wrapped around the ankle and secured to themselves. U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,358 (DeMarco) teaches a device having an inner sock-like part and outer straps for wrapping about the ankle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,395 (Barlow et al.) teaches an ankle support device wherein an ankle-engaging portion has two straps, one of which engages the ankle, and the second of which engages the plantar portion of the foot and extends over the top of the foot. U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,450 (Gardner) teaches an ankle jacket which is secured to the foot and includes an elongate strap for being wrapped around the ankle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,506,000 (Baker) shows an ankle support wherein a first portion is secured to the rear of the ankle adjacent the achilles tendon and includes an elongate strap for wrapping about the ankle and foot. U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,733 (Stromgren) teaches an ankle support comprising a sock-like elastic sheath having an elongate elastic panel for wrapping around the foot of the patient.
Prior art braces, such as those described above, do not adequately account for the various motions of the ankle and have not been successful. The joints in the foot and ankle move in a tri-planer motion, the axis of motion being different for each articulation and the midtarsal joint having two axes of motion. When ankle sprains occur, the ligaments and surrounding structures of the talocrural joint as well as those of the midtarsal and subtalar joints are sprained or strained. Prior techniques have failed to control articulations associated with these joints. Moreover, ankle sprains occur by several different mechanisms including inversion, eversion, supination-adduction, pronation-external rotation, and pronation-abduction. External support mechanisms have failed to provide the required stabilization for the joints of the foot and ankle to help prevent all ankle sprains.